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France began a frantically short election campaign Monday, with President Emmanuel Macron's centrist alliance facing an uphill struggle to avoid a new defeat at the hands of the far right.

Australia's Jordan Thompson caused an early upset at the Queen's Club tournament in London with a first-round win over seventh-seed Holger Rune on Monday.

EU leaders huddled in Brussels on Monday to thrash out how to divide up the bloc's top jobs, with early signals putting Ursula von der Leyen on track for a second term as chief of the powerful European Commission.

Ukraine coach Serhiy Rebrov said his team's opening 3-0 loss to Romania at Euro 2024 on Monday was a result "nobody expected".

A French court Monday postponed the trial of rugby players accused of gang-raping a student in 2017 after one of the main defendants was unable to appear in court following an accident.

Adidas shares slid Monday as the German sportswear giant said it was investigating alleged bribery in China after senior employees were reportedly accused of embezzling huge sums.

Stock markets edged higher on both sides of the Atlantic on Monday despite fading hopes for US interest rate cuts and worries about political upheaval in Europe, while oil prices rose.

Russian President Vladimir Putin will travel to North Korea on Tuesday, in a rare visit that may see Moscow sign a "strategic partnership treaty" with Pyongyang, the Kremlin said.

French rugby star and pin-up for this summer's Paris Olympics, Antoine Dupont has called for an end to the "macho" cliches linked to the game and "stop homophobia in our sport".

In Argentina's strangled economy, one sector is thriving: the pawn shops buying up gold and other family treasures that many are forced to sell to pay their bills.

France is planning to reduce its military presence in West and Central Africa to around 600 troops in line with President Emmanuel Macron's plans to limit the French military footprint in the region, three sources told AFP.

One of the great attractions of hosting the 2024 Olympics and Paralympics in Paris was the opportunity to show off the plethora of stunning buildings which will form the backdrop to many of the sports.

Israel struck Gaza on Monday and witnesses reported blasts in the besieged territory's south, but fighting has largely subsided after a day of relative calm and as Muslims marked Eid al-Adha.

Romania won at a major international tournament for the first time in 24 years on Monday as they beat Ukraine 3-0 at Euro 2024, helped by two errors from goalkeeper Andriy Lunin.

EU leaders gather Monday in Brussels to thrash out over dinner how to distribute the bloc's top jobs, with Ursula von der Leyen seemingly on track for a second term heading the European Commission.

Social media platforms should feature tobacco-style health warnings for adolescents, a top US government health official said Monday.

Brexiteer Nigel Farage said Monday that his hard-right Reform UK party intends to use next month's general election to ultimately supplant the ruling Conservatives as Britain's main opposition party.

France's sports minister, Amelie Oudea-Castera, on Monday hailed as exemplary a statement by football superstar Kylian Mbappe urging voters not to back extremes in snap elections called by President Emmanuel Macron to combat the far right.

Philippine and Chinese vessels collided near the Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea on Monday, with both sides accusing the other of being to blame for the incident.

The Italian coastguard searched off southern Italy Monday for survivors or the bodies of dozens of migrants feared missing, after two shipwrecks left 11 people dead.

Veteran Spanish defender Sergio Ramos has told hometown club Sevilla his second stint with them is over after just one season, the La Liga outfit said on Monday.

More than one billion dollars will be pledged towards ramping up vaccine production in Africa at a summit held in Paris later this week, France said on Monday.

Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer said on Monday he will make a call on his future after Euro 2024, the 2014 World Cup winner's eighth major tournament.

A section of seating from a stadium in war-torn Kharkiv went on show in Munich on Monday, as Ukraine prepared to take the field for their opening game of Euro 2024.

Royal Ascot which gets underway on Tuesday is British racing's most important week but prize money has to rise as you can "only trade on its glamour and history for so long", Qatar Racing's racing manager David Redvers told AFP.

Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto blasted his team's batting performance at the T20 World Cup as "unacceptable" on Monday.

Disgraced former Spanish football federation chief Luis Rubiales will stand trial in February next year for his unsolicited kiss on the lips of Women's World Cup winner Jenni Hermoso, the court overseeing the process said Monday.

Saudi Arabia on Monday warned of a temperature spike in Mecca as Muslim pilgrims wrapped up the hajj in searing conditions, with more than a dozen heat-related deaths confirmed.

The trial of a group of rugby players accused of gang raping a student after a 2017 match by leading French team Grenoble was to open Monday.

Spain goalkeeper Unai Simon suggested Monday it was not French captain Kylian Mbappe's place to speak up "against extremes and divisive ideas" ahead of a general election in France.

Stock markets diverged Monday with traders assessing the Federal Reserve's plans for interest-rate cuts and Europe's political landscape before looming general elections.

China said Monday it had launched an anti-dumping investigation into pork imports from the European Union, the latest step in a mounting trade stand-off between the bloc and its largest economic partner.